NEWS


Dixons creates ‘sexy’ technology retail model


Store designed to appeal to women with high-end brands and boutique-style image


“This is not only a trial of the Black concept, but other elements that we will take the


learnings from into the


mainstram portfolio.” Mark Webb, Dixons Retail


By Nicky Trup


DIXONS RETAIL has opened a new “sexy and cool” electronics store, which it hopes to emulate elements of within its other retail brands such as Currys and PC World. The outlet opened in Birmingham High Street last month. Simply called Black, its layout is inspired by fashion boutiques, with the latest consumer gadgets being modelled by mannequins in party clothes. “The customer segment the store is aimed at will respond better to a new, cool brand powered by the strong brands of PC World and Currys,” Mark Webb, head of media relations for Dixons Retail, told PCR. “It’s not aimed specifically at women


Dixon’s new concept store aims to bring the power of cool to IT retail


but we anticipate from the concept of the store that it will have more of a female bias. The store is stocking


electronics and gadgets that we feel those customers will respond well to. A lot of the products we sell are the same as in other Dixons stores but it’s really good looking great brands with a sexy, cool image.”


Those brands include Apple, Kindle and high-end camera maker Leica, with Dixons choosing products based as much on aesthetics as technical specifications. Continuing along the fashion theme, the store will also change its displays seasonally, based around different ‘collections’. “This is not only a trial of the Black


concept, but other elements that we will take the learnings from into the mainstream portfolio. Things like the systems and the way we talk to customers and engage with them,” Webb said, adding that Dixons was not yet considering a national roll-out of the Black brand.


UKIE: PC gaming hasn’t peaked yet Games trade body says the likes of Steam and Facebook are driving the platform


PC GAMING is on the rise thanks to changing means of accessing top titles, the head of games industry body UKIE has suggested. Michael Rawlinson, director general of The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment, told PCR that his organisation hopes to better understand where the platform is heading once its plans for a digital distribution games chart come to fruition.


“I think its pretty clear, given the popularity of sites such as Steam, that the PC gaming market has not peaked just yet. People are buying games via many different sources,” he said.


www.pcr-online.biz


“I think it’s pretty clear, given the popularity of sites such as Steam, that the PC gaming market


has not peaked yet.” Michael Rawlinson, UKIE


“Most analysts say that, despite a


move towards downloadable games and content, boxed product will remain a large part of the market for the foreseeable future. But again, we should not underestimate the PC market, which clearly remains strong and is continuing to grow.”


Rawlinson pointed to titles such


as Football Manager, Civilization 5 and World of Warcraft as evidence that PC gaming is alive and well, with the two latest instalments of WoW each selling well over two million copies in their first 24 hours.


He added, however, that web-based games are also a key driving force in the market. “Browser games and those on social networking sites such as Facebook… are expanding the sector into new and exciting areas,” he said.


StarCraft remains one of PC gamings most enduring titles


January PCR 11


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